Welcome to Smoke Filled Room

Welcome to Smoke Filled Room!

Who would think it? With a smoking ban passed in 2007, the United Kingdom is the last place you would think that cigar lounges would be booming. But you’d be wrong. Actually, if anything, the ban only helped cigar lounges rise to prominence in the UK. After all, we need a legal place where we can enjoy the cigars that we love!

Even though the Financial Times reported around the start of 2014 that cigar smoking in the UK was in decline, the Times ignored the bubble which was the 1990s cigar boom. Ignoring that spike in demand and the subsequent collapse, cigar smoking is on the upswing globally, and the industry is gradually recovering. In fact, it seems likely that the industry is healthier than ever, since this isn’t just another bubble.

And now, we are finally seeing everyday, ordinary people taking an interest in cigar smoking—not just rich executives with disposable income. Middle-income people are beginning to buy cigars, as are members of the younger generation. And now, cigar lounges are opening their doors all over the UK, no longer just in the London elite districts.

Our goal on Smoke Filled Room is to help you find the best cigar lounge in your local area! Whether you are located in downtown London or in a small town in the countryside, there is somewhere nearby where you can enjoy a good stogie.

We rate cigar lounges on the following criteria:

Ambiance: The cigar bars we recommend all include comfortable seating and inviting atmospheres. They offer a relaxing environment where you can really unwind and get into the smoking experience. This is one of the top factors in evaluating any cigar lounge, since you want to find a place where you feel at home.

Humidor selection: We check to find out what types of cigars these lounges stock, and what kind of selection you can expect when you arrive. The larger and more diverse the selection and the more premium quality we find, the higher the rating. We also rank cigar lounges based on the quality of their humidors and the condition that their stogies are maintained in.

Price: We check to make sure that prices are fair at the lounges we recommend. This is not our primary criteria, but it is an important one. We also look at discounts and membership subscriptions offered by various clubs and weigh the benefits of signing up. Some cigar clubs also offer a Happy Hour which may include special deals on cigars, drinks, and more.

Food and drink: Many of the cigar clubs we have ranked not only offer stogies, but also serve food and drinks. Those with large wine and beer menus as well as great cocktails garner the best ratings. We also take the food menu into account.

Amenities and entertainment. Sometimes you want to just sit down and enjoy a good cigar and conversation, but other times you might want to play a game of billiards, surf the net, or listen to live music. We let you know which clubs host events and have other amenities to keep you entertained.

Location. How easy is it to reach the cigar bar? Is it in reach of public transit? We let you know exactly how to get to your destination, and also comment on the surrounding area.

Customer service. Finally, we rate tobacco lounges on the basis of customer service. How friendly are the people who work there? How knowledgeable are they on the world of cigars? Are they helpful with suggestions for new cigars to try and pairings? Are they friendly to novices as well as veteran smokers? Ultimately we feel that customer service is everything, since it determines the quality you get from every other aspect of the cigar lounge.

With the smoking ban in effect, it is important to be able to find indoor and outdoor spaces where you can comfortably indulge in your favorite hobby—smoking cigars. Cigar lounges allow you to try new stogies, meet others who share your passion for cigars, and relax in a welcoming and classy environment like no other. It is our mission here at Smoke Filled Room to help you find the best of the bunch and avoid the worst.

You are welcome to begin by browsing our reviews. You can also submit your own user ratings and reviews. We encourage our visitors to share their experiences, since this helps us to find great cigar lounges in the UK to recommend, and also helps other cigar smokers to evaluate lounges they are thinking of paying a visit to. Finally, if you have any questions, or you want to suggest a cigar lounge for review, you may visit our Contact page. Enjoy our reviews, and have fun smoking at your new favorite UK cigar lounge!